Which Watch To Wear? on your Cayman Island snorkel trip

A lot of people ask us about what kind of watches we wear, and whether they should take their own watches in the water with them. What many people don’t realize is that the water resistance ratings found on most watches is very misleading. Just because your watch say it is water resistant, does not mean that you should snorkel with it. I wear a Seiko Black Monster for all my water sport activities which has a water resistance of 200m (660 feet). Now that may seem like it’s a little overboard but 200m is the MINIMUM of water resistance that you would want on a watch if you are doing serious water sports (diving etc). Have a look below to the chart and see where your time piece fits in. And remember, things may be “water resistant”, but nothing is “water proof”

Water Resistant 30 m Suitable for everyday use. Splash/rain resistant. NOT suitable for swimming, snorkeling, water related work and fishing. NOT suitable for diving.

Water Resistant 50 m Suitable for swimming, white water rafting, non-snorkeling water related work, and fishing. NOT suitable for diving.

Water Resistant 100 m Suitable for recreational surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and water sports. NOT suitable for diving.

Water Resistant 200 m Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports. NOT suitable for diving.